Most modem automotive vehicles include seat assemblies having a recliner or release mechanism actuated by a release handle to pivotally move a seat back from a seated position to a walk-in or stowed position. The stowed position allows an occupant to ingress or egress a second row seating in coupes or third row seating in vans, minivans, or SUVs. In addition, most modern automotive vehicles typically employ an egress mechanism capable of being actuated by an occupant seated behind the seat assembly to move the seat back from the seated position to the stowed position.
It is known in the art to provide an egress mechanism which indirectly actuates the release mechanism. The egress mechanism is operatively attached to the release handle and includes a release strap. A seated occupant pulls the release strap which operates the egress mechanism which actuates the release handle thereby moving the seat back from the seated position to the stowed position to facilitate egress of the occupant from the automotive vehicle.
In the previously known egress mechanism designs, the effort or force required to actuate the egress mechanism varied during the operation cycle. During operation, the force would radically increase causing the occupant to jerk the release strap in order to actuate the egress mechanism. The spiking in force required occurred in prior egress mechanism designs because the release handle included a pin which engaged a slot formed on a rotating bracket. As the pin traveled within the slot the distance between the pivot point of the bracket and the contact point of the pin and the slot would vary, thereby, varying the amount of force required to operate the egress mechanism.
The inconsistent force required raised consumer concerns regarding the quality and reliability of the seat assembly. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a seat assembly having an egress mechanism which eliminates the radical increase in force by an occupant during the operation of the egress mechanism.